Allianz FL Division 4 2013

[westender]

"A Bit more consistency would help."

Strangely enough the wife says the same thing to me on a Friday night!!

We all have our problems mate

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Free cup of tea and a Ham Sandwich? Hope to Jayz its not like the loaves and the fishes?
I hear Kearn's have been frantically searching for buses around the South of the county to cover off the demand, Egans of Belmont are in control of the situation but are monitoring numbers closely said a spokesman.
If the bus arrives from Kinnitty, thats it we're doomed, only the Lord himself would feed them lot!!

[DAF]

Offaly 2-11 Carlow 1-11

Great to get a win today, we looked to be slipping in the last 15 minutes but 2 quick fire goals sealed the win for us.I thought Richie Dalton played very well in the second half, Paul McConway was very good in the first half.When we were positive we looked decent and the first 15 minutes of the first half and last 15 minutes of the second half was encouraging.The management seem to have copped on that we need to push our half forwards a bit further forward and play more attacking player in our half forward line rather than defensive player.Graham Guilfoyle was good today and his run for the second goal was something special.He needs to just run forward with the ball when he gets it and stop cutting back which he was doing too much of earlier in the year.

[townman]

good win waterford and Limerick beaten so its wide open 1 down 2 to go for a great weekend for offaly GAA

[ryot]

Delighted I was able to get there today.

OK it was Carlow who dont rate that high but a win is a win.

Some impressive displays. Brian D would be my man of the match and heoften drove forward impressively.

Paul McC also did well at the back and Sean Pender got upfield to score the important first goal. Great run & pass by Graham G for the second which Brian C finished well. Classy point from Niall but the man who gave me most hope for the future was a man who many have been critical of but who dominated midfield for long spells, great game Alan McNamee. A few more like that, please !!!!

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

2 character building wins in 2 weeks and well done to the lads. The manager seems to have learned also.
I slated Alan Mc over last few months but he delivered a decent display yesterday, as DAF said more of it please. Richie D caught some great ball and only for him we were in real bother.
Pender had a poor game but ended up punching that goal when Carlow looked likely winners. Guilfoyle has set up 2 great goals with power and pace, but he was awol for long spells. Eoin Carroll is a good lad, but in fairness, is out of his depth. Got caught out positionally a few times, I thougt wingback would be better for him but he was lucky to survive.

Carlow were unlucky, but if its one thing that Offaly needs now, its a slice of luck, and we got out of jail. Nothing wrong with that!

Some dive by the Carlow player to try and win a pen in last min? But the way the ref was going, i was shocked he didnt give it!

[Room with a view]

First , great to get a win , any win is good but improvement is of the very slow variety.An unconvincing display from Offaly.Having watched them throughout the O Byrne cup and up to this point in the league, the greatest problem they seem to encounter is to get good ball into the full forward line.The whole idea of playing a two man full forward line is to create space for them to run into and collect well directed passes but thus far we've had very little return from this score wise.Most defenses just leave a sweeper back to cover off in front of the two front men or double team Niall Mac and our threat diminishes greatly .Before we got the two goals that rescued the game yesterday (out of the blue really!) we never had a smell of a goal .Neither were any of our front men any real point scoring threat.I felt there was a reluctance to pass to young Joe Maher which might have brought him into the game more.Several times Graham Gilfoil and Alan Mac had opportunities to pass to him but took other options (maybe they felt he hadn't made the run in time or wasn't strong enough to win the ball , I don't know but the passes did look on from the stand).One way or the other we effectively had a non functioning full forward line until Niall Mac and Ken Casey came on .Maher was reduced to frees after taking one good point from play.One pleasing aspect was that we had an effective bench with most of the subs making an impact .It was also worth trying Brian Connor at full forward and although it didn't work spectacularly on the day it is always an option.Tipp will be a bigger test but it being a home game for us we really have to win it if any real progress is to be cemented.It's in our own hands so here's hoping ......

[DAF]

Great win today 2-16 is a big score and it sets up a winner takes all promotion decider against Tipp in Tullamore. Hopefully a big crowd turns up for that one it should be a cracker

[Bord na Mona man]

Great win today 2-16 is a big score and it sets up a winner takes all promotion decider against Tipp in Tullamore.

Clare could take 2nd place on points difference as they have a game in hand against London and play Limerick on the last day.

[Lone Shark]

Yeah but if Clare beat Limerick to go to ten points and Offaly beat Tipp, then it would be Clare and Offaly going up, Limerick would be the ones to miss out.

It's actually incredibly simple - beat Tipp and we go up, fail to beat them and we stay in division 4, regardless of results elsewhere. Tipp can go up with a draw, but would only do so if Limerick get at least a point against Clare.

We'd have been delighted with that situation a few weeks ago!

[True Red]

anyone got the team that started v Waterford?

[Bord na Mona man]

Yeah but if Clare beat Limerick to go to ten points and Offaly beat Tipp, then it would be Clare and Offaly going up, Limerick would be the ones to miss out.

It's actually incredibly simple - beat Tipp and we go up, fail to beat them and we stay in division 4, regardless of results elsewhere. Tipp can go up with a draw, but would only do so if Limerick get at least a point against Clare.

We'd have been delighted with that situation a few weeks ago!

Correct, I've just spotted that Limerick's point difference is so bad (the worst of the top 5 teams), that they can't afford to lose on the last day, unless of course Offaly and Tipp were to draw!
Amazingly, for a team with a 5-1 record, they now have to fear a team with a 3-2 record (Clare).

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

well done to the team on the results over the last few weeks. A lot of it has not been pretty, and a late burst of 2 goals in each of the last 2 games, creates the illusion that we are scoring more freely.
However, the one thing that it will generate is confidence, and hopefully this will lead to the lads theowing off the shackles on Sunday week in Tullamore.
Brian Connor has quietly knocked up quiet a few scores during this league. Ken Casey's contribution was extremely welcome, and lets see more of it over the next few months. Ruari Allen, & Joe Maher coming into the forwards will add more options, and they will learn. Guilfoyle has used his pace to create options, again more of this please.
I am unsure of Pender at centre back, and would like to see Dalton playing more games, he surely must be carrying an injury as he didnt start after a strong display v Carlow.

Last year we could have beaten Tipp down there in the league, and in the first half in the championship, we missed a lot of chances, and gave away a terrible goal. We should be fitter than we have been over recent times, and the crowd should turn out for this crunch game.
I think we will be up against it as Tipp have steadily built after 2 opening defeats, and are a decent side, tight in defence, big midfield, and hard working and clever forwards, with Barry Grogan leading the threat. I do think defensively, we should be a lot better, and fouling needs to be kept to the min.
Good luck to the lads!

[kingscounty]

I for one was sure Offaly were not going to win much games after a few early defeats , but credit has to go to the lads and management for coming back and grinding out the last few wins. Its great to see now that we are going into the Tipp game with something to play for and best of luck to all involved, like Ahlethimoutwithit said it will generate confidence and thats what we will need going into the championship against Kildare.

[ryot]

This team are not world-beaters but they have put in the hardwork in the games I saw this year and are obviously much fitter than last year so the work must be being done in training.

I have to admit not being to a lot of the games in recent years as I had another involvement but hell or high water I will be in Tullamore for the Tipp game.

I appeal to all BIFFO's to be there.